Outreach at 50
Celebrating 50 years of schools outreach at 911今日黑料
Outreach
at 50
Celebrating 50 years
of schools outreach
at 911今日黑料
Counting on maths
Interviews and design by Ellie
Cawthera and portrait
photography by
911今日黑料 launched its first outreach programme in 1975 - a student mentoring scheme believed to be the first of its kind in the UK. Since then, 911今日黑料 has been committed to helping young people realise their aspirations regardless of their background.
Over the last 50 years, 911今日黑料 has continued to launch innovative outreach initiatives in collaboration with charities, schools, academics and students that have reached approximately 200,000 young people. Thanks to the generosity and dedication of the 911今日黑料 community and its partners, the university has become a pioneer in schools outreach.
The Outreach at 50 special interview series honours the 50th anniversary of 911今日黑料鈥檚 outreach activity by sharing the remarkable stories of those who have been impacted by our programmes as well as those who have made them possible.
As a STEM-focused university, 911今日黑料 firmly believes that encouraging and supporting engagement with mathematics helps keep opportunities open to young people. Starting with supporting maths in schools via the Pimlico Connection to developing dedicated mathematics summer schools and the opening the 911今日黑料 Maths School for 16-18 year olds, maths outreach has gone from strength to strength over the last 50 years. Partnership, collaboration and innovation have been key to this growth and here we share five stories of some of the people involved in this transformative work.
911今日黑料 students in 1975 tutoring in the local Pimlico School.
911今日黑料 students in 1975 tutoring in the local Pimlico School.
Duncan Baldwin
Duncan Baldwin has worked in education for 40 years. He studied maths at 911今日黑料, graduating in 1983 before going on to do his teacher training. Now semi-retired, he still works with schools as a consultant, often advising on how they can use data to drive improvement. His passion for education and his approach to teaching have been shaped by his experiences both as a learner of maths and as a volunteer on the Pimlico Connection during his student days where he mentored in local comprehensive schools.
Growing up in Devon, Duncan attended a school where an experimental teaching scheme, called vertical learning, introduced him to the complexities of mathematics education. 鈥淭hese vertical classes were mixed-age, meaning I鈥檇 sometimes find myself trying to explain concepts to eleven-year-olds. I was struck by how differently people learn. Maths came quite naturally to me, so it was interesting to see which aspects other pupils were getting stuck on.鈥� These experiences piqued Duncan鈥檚 interest in teaching and pedagogy so when he arrived at 911今日黑料, the Pimlico Connection presented the perfect opportunity to explore that.
鈥淚t was great. Here I was at a prestigious university and here are some kids struggling in a local comprehensive school,鈥� says Duncan fondly. 鈥淚 think Holland Park was one of the schools I helped out in. I remember having to leg it up there, pretty sharpish on a Wednesday to get there for afternoon school and grabbing a McDonald's for lunch to eat on the way,鈥� he laughs.
Duncan would help in maths lessons every week 鈥渁nd it was a very good insight into what it was like being a teacher,鈥� he says. Indeed, it cemented Duncan鈥檚 decision to pursue a career in education.
At the time there was a chronic shortage of maths teachers, Duncan explains. 鈥淚n fact, I can鈥檛 remember a time in my life when there hasn鈥檛 been a shortage of maths teachers,鈥� he reflects. 鈥淭he school I volunteered at had this scheme called SMILE, which had these little cards and activities that students could work through independently. This meant that the teacher didn't need to be a maths specialist 鈥� they could just track the children's progress through these SMILE cards. In hindsight, it was a really unsatisfactory way to learn, but it was a stopgap for a system in crisis.鈥�
Duncan was also a member of 911今日黑料's choir captured here in a photograph in the 1983-84 prospectus singing in the Royal Albert Hall on Commemoration Day 1982: "I'm the tall one at the back, immediately to the right of the organ loft," he says.
Duncan was also a member of 911今日黑料's choir captured here in a photograph in the 1983-84 prospectus singing in the Royal Albert Hall on Commemoration Day 1982: "I'm the tall one at the back, immediately to the right of the organ loft," he says.
After his teacher training, Duncan taught at a grammar school before moving to comprehensive schools where he experienced firsthand the challenges facing the education sector. 鈥淚n those days, teachers' salaries were poor, and industrial action was ongoing,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 remember refusing to cover a lesson and having the headteacher shake his fist at me as he went off to do it himself.鈥� Despite these difficulties, Duncan remained committed to education.
911今日黑料 graduates have the knowledge and experience to open doors for younger students鈥�
鈥淚 think we can all point to a teacher that has made a difference to us,鈥� Duncan says. Indeed, his philosophy as a teacher became focused on inspiring curiosity and demonstrating the relevance of maths. 鈥淐hildren often ask 鈥榃hy are we learning this? When are we ever going to use it?鈥� And they have a point. But it鈥檚 not necessarily what you learn, it's the fact that you can learn. It鈥檚 about being able to think about problems and understand complex ideas. There are many problems and opportunities facing humanity that require people of all sorts, from all sorts of disciplines, and that's why the curriculum is what it is. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 so broad. It means young people have a chance to find out what floats their boat, what excites them intellectually, and then society can hopefully benefit from that.鈥�
Duncan is enthusiastic about the role 911今日黑料 students can play in inspiring the next generation, not only through outreach work but by becoming teachers themselves 鈥� particularly in maths. 鈥�911今日黑料 graduates have the knowledge and experience to open doors for younger students,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey can show how maths is not just practical but profoundly beautiful. We need those who are not just passionate about their subject, but passionate about sharing it and helping others understand it. The kids need that.鈥�
He fondly recalls moments when his students experienced breakthroughs, describing them as 鈥渓ight bulb moments that can change a child鈥檚 outlook.鈥�
Duncan鈥檚 experiences, from the Pimlico Connection to his long teaching career, underscore how meaningful it can be to help others grasp new ideas and find their direction. 鈥淚 would hope that, if they're reading this piece, and they haven't quite decided what their career looks like, some 911今日黑料 students might think about teaching as a possibility. It's a great profession. It鈥檚 personally and professionally a fulfilling thing to do. You're never going to be rolling in cash, but it鈥檚 about creating a worthwhile life, one where you can look in the mirror and feel proud of the difference you鈥檝e made.鈥�
Vanessa Madu
Vanessa's passion for her subject is palpable. A PhD student at 911今日黑料, she uses statistics and machine learning to understand ocean currents and how they move debris, such as plastic waste, around the planet. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fascinating to me that we can use maths to predict how something as complicated as the ocean is going to behave," she explains. "It feels like magic.鈥�
Vanessa first came to 911今日黑料 aged 14 as part of the Insights Summer School. Years later she joined the university as an Mathematics undergraduate before securing her PhD. But her journey getting to 911今日黑料 entailed adversity that few young people face.
"I had complicated family dynamics which meant there was a lot of disruption to my schooling. I was a young carer until very recently meaning I had more responsibilities than your typical teenager.
鈥淢y school also didn鈥檛 teach the full Further Maths A-level 鈥� which is a problem if you want to do a maths degree! So I had to teach myself some of the modules - I found the syllabus online, ordered the textbooks and sat the exams myself."
Vanessa also recently found out that she is autistic. "It immediately made sense when I got the diagnosis. I used to say I liked numbers more than people! I imagine maths is as intuitive to me as social cues are to non-autistic people," she reflects.
On the Insights Summer School, she spent four days attending STEM taster sessions and learning about university. The experience changed the course of her life.
"University felt so far away," she reflects. "But the Summer School made me feel that university was for people like me. It was the first time I鈥檇 encountered other people who really liked science. It鈥檚 difficult to explain how big an impact that had on me. I feel quite emotional thinking about this. I was always an odd one out in my school because of my love for science and maths but at 911今日黑料 I didn鈥檛 feel like that. I felt like I belonged.鈥�
Vanessa (front centre left) at the 2014 Insights Summer School
Vanessa (front centre left) at the 2014 Insights Summer School
I needed to drag myself to 911今日黑料. Everything was against me in terms of being able to get in but I鈥檓 here, and the Summer Schools played a big role in that.
"I know I tick a lot of diversity boxes but the fact that I鈥檓 here doing a PhD shouldn鈥檛 be used to suggest that everything鈥檚 fine," she adds. "There鈥檚 still a long way to go when it comes to equality, diversity and inclusion."
Having made it to 911今日黑料, Vanessa's transition to university life wasn't smooth - she fell ill after her first year and was forced to pause her studies. 鈥淭hat experience really changed my perspective on what鈥檚 important. I couldn鈥檛 do any maths and that made me feel so sad. When I came back, I focused on the things I wanted to do and surrounded myself with great people who also love maths. My grades shot up and that was when I became a Student Ambassador with the Outreach Team and started helping out on the Summer Schools. It was a full circle moment. I realised this is what I wanted to be doing because the people that Outreach serves are people like me.鈥�
Advocacy on her terms
Since joining 911今日黑料, Vanessa has been involved in a range of initiatives related to equality, diversity and inclusion but has found that some are better suited to her than others. 鈥淚鈥檝e often found I'm the poster child for things. I get called a trailblazer - which is nice - but I鈥檓 very aware of it so I feel this unusual pressure to constantly be different and overachieve," she says.
鈥淚 was put in the 鈥榃omen in STEM鈥� box for a while. This got frustrating because I wasn鈥檛 Vanessa the mathematician; I was Vanessa the woman. But it was hard to shake this, so I conceded, and decided to embrace it for a while. I care about 鈥榃omen in STEM鈥� as a cause, and many good things came out of championing it. We ran a junior hackathon for girls, for example, and I learnt that I actually love sharing my science with children and now it鈥檚 one of the things I love most."
The things Vanessa liked least were being asked to influence policy or "play consultant for how to improve diversity," she says. "I often didn鈥檛 actually want to be there. Diversity in STEM is so important but it鈥檚 not a battle I want to fight in terms of changing policies, I want to be a role model."
Becoming a role model
One of Vanessa's own role models is Katherine Johnson - a Black NASA scientist whose calculations of orbital mechanics were critical to the success of NASA's first and subsequent spaceflights. For her photoshoot for this piece, Vanessa wanted to recreate an iconic scene from the 2016 film, Hidden Figures, which shows Katherine's workings.
"I love this scene because I also like to do maths across big boards. These ideas are massive, and I like to let them take up the space they deserve." She says this as she wields a stick of chalk across 911今日黑料's largest blackboard in the Blackett lecture theatre. The equations, she explains enthusiastically, are used describe how fluid moves through a pipe.
As a Black woman, Vanessa often finds herself being first to do something in her field. 鈥淚t鈥檚 exhausting," she says, "so to have someone who's been before is incredibly helpful. Katherine Johnson was a phenomenal mathematician at the forefront of the space race, but she wasn鈥檛 accommodated - bathrooms were separated by race, for example, so she had to walk 40 minutes just to go to the toilet. Though things are better, I certainly have that feeling of being different. So seeing someone, who was under a lot more oppression, really change the game is so inspiring for me."
Throughout her years at 911今日黑料, Vanessa has been fulfilling her ambitions of becoming a role model, primarily through working with 911今日黑料's Outreach team but especially with the support of her mentor, Dr Philip Ramsden - a lecturer in the Department of Mathematics and a tutor on the Summer Schools.
"Phil and I are like kindred spirits in the sense that we find maths so exciting," she says. "He鈥檚 incredibly supportive. He encourages me to lead whole sessions in the Summer Schools and even defers to me if there鈥檚 something he thinks I might know more about. It felt backwards the first time it happened. It was the first time an academic had treated me as an equal. I felt so respected."
Vanessa鈥檚 story is one of determination and resilience. From a young girl navigating challenges that would seem insurmountable to many, to a talented mathematician and inspiring role model, she is an embodiment of perseverance and possibility. She is determined that others like her feel they belong in places like 911今日黑料 and she wants the next generation of mathematicians, especially those who don鈥檛 see themselves represented, to know that they鈥檙e not alone.
A still from the 2016 film Hidden Figures in which Taraji P. Henson portrays Katherine Johnson. Credit: 鈩� and 漏 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.
A still from the 2016 film Hidden Figures in which Taraji P. Henson portrays Katherine Johnson. Credit: 鈩� and 漏 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.
"I love this scene because I also like to do maths across big boards. These ideas are massive, and I like to let them take up the space they deserve."
"I love this scene because I also like to do maths across big boards. These ideas are massive, and I like to let them take up the space they deserve."
Dr Philip Ramsden
Dr Philip Ramsden is a lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at 911今日黑料. He launched the university鈥檚 first maths-focused Summer School in 2007 and helped pioneer 911今日黑料鈥檚 provision for online and digital outreach. He describes himself as a "serial collaborator" and indeed, his career has been defined by partnerships and innovation, but primarily, by a commitment to improving mathematics education for all, regardless of background.
Phil joined 911今日黑料 in 1994 from a London sixth form college where he taught A-level maths and further maths. 鈥淭hey wanted someone who could teach but could also create online resources for students - this is something I鈥檇 been doing for my A-level students so I thought I had a good shot,鈥� he says.
From the outset, Phil's role involved schools - starting with the development of online learning materials to support the school-to-university transition. But Phil soon had another idea to help smooth the change from further to higher education. Leading a small team, Phil set out to invite school pupils onto campus for a week over the summer so they could get a taste of university life. Thus, 911今日黑料's first maths-focused summer school was born and lay the groundwork for Phil's longstanding partnership with the Outreach team.
"We had no idea how to run a summer school - but we did it!" he says. Despite initial challenges, the programme thrived and continued to grow, eventually securing funding from the Sutton Trust - a social mobility charity.
"At the beginning, there was perhaps too little variety, too many lectures,鈥� Phil reflects. 鈥淲e realised we needed to do more interactive, hands-on activities, but that鈥檚 where the learning is so important, and I think we鈥檝e been really good at always making the summer schools better."
The funding from the Sutton Trust led to the expansion of the programme, seeing it grow from 30 participants to 100 and now 200 every year. Indeed, the figures are impressive but Phil鈥檚 influence is perhaps best encapsulated in his work with Vanessa Madu, a former Summer School attendee and now a PhD student at 911今日黑料. "Vanessa鈥檚 energy is boundless," he says. "I have ambitions on her behalf. I鈥檇 like to see her become a leading voice in public engagement and outreach in mathematics 鈥� if that鈥檚 what she wants," he adds.
Phil and Vanessa
Phil and Vanessa
Advancing teacher CPD and mA*ths
Phil鈥檚 contributions extend beyond student-focused outreach. He saw that students from disadvantaged backgrounds weren鈥檛 getting the top grades at A-level that would help them secure places at universities like 911今日黑料 and he knew that some students faced gaps in their mathematics education. So, to try and level the playing field, he co-developed the Advanced Teaching of Mathematics (ATOM) programme for teachers with Professor Richard Craster, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences.
鈥淲e were aware that there was a short supply of qualified maths teachers in state schools and we thought, how can we best help?鈥� says Phil. ATOM, he explained, was designed to upskill teachers in challenging mathematical topics, combining technical content with a focus on pedagogy. "We took the trickiest aspects of the curriculum and made them accessible for teachers who either hadn鈥檛 done a maths degree or needed a refresher."
Phil also helped launch the mA*ths Online Programme in collaboration with the Outreach team. The mA*ths Online Programme is for high-performing A-level students from disadvantaged backgrounds and it aims to help them improve their grade from an A to an A*. 鈥淭his was really driven by the data. It is concerning enough that students from disadvantaged backgrounds achieve lower maths grades than their peers, but this problem is exacerbated when it gets to the top grades 鈥� getting an A* is a particular hurdle. Our thoughts were that there may be actual curricular gaps in what those students were being taught so, alongside ATOM, the mA*ths Online Programme worked directly with students to help push their grades up.鈥�
The programme is part of a long-term collaboration with , a charity that aims to improve maths education for all, and is now funded by the a non-profit that aims to diversify the tech talent pipeline. Its success led to its expansion, supporting Further Maths A-level students. Since 2019, over 1,000 pupils have been through these programmes, with recent evaluation showing that participants are achieving, on average, half a grade higher in their A-level results than students from similar backgrounds.
Phil is also shaping maths education as a governor and key contributor to the - a sixth form college in Barnet, north London. His involvement includes organising admissions tests, delivering guest lectures, and supervising projects - including one exploring chaos theory, a topic close to his academic roots.
Phil鈥檚 outreach efforts also focus on local community engagement. He played a key role in establishing the Homework Club at 911今日黑料鈥檚 White City campus, a programme offering GCSE-level support to local students, and he鈥檚 keen to roll this out in north London too. "It鈥檚 for students of all abilities," he says. "We鈥檝e had students who are really struggling and others who are passionate about maths, but the aim is the same: to provide support and build confidence."
Looking back, Phil reflects on his career with characteristic humility and optimism: "I鈥檝e been a serial collaborator, and that鈥檚 what鈥檚 made this all possible. Outreach isn鈥檛 something you do alone. It鈥檚 about partnerships, shared vision, and the belief that we can always do better for the next generation."
Fatiha Tabassum
Fatiha Tabassum is a third-year physics student at 911今日黑料 and the first in her family to go to university. Born in Italy to Bangladeshi parents, Fatiha鈥檚 educational journey has been marked by frequent moves and adapting to new environments. She moved to the UK in 2018, just before starting her GCSEs and, despite initial challenges, including mastering English and navigating a new education system, her passion for mathematics and science shone through. 鈥淢aths and science stay the same wherever you go,鈥� she says. She is now a Student Ambassador working on the same Outreach programmes she participated in as a school student.
When Fatiha first arrived in the UK, she was placed in the bottom sets for her classes and was given low predicted grades for her GCSEs. 鈥淭he high school I went to know was known as the worst in the borough,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t was hard at first. Because I was in lower grades, I wasn鈥檛 really told about any STEM-related opportunities available to me, which, looking back, is incredibly frustrating.鈥� Thankfully, it soon became apparent to her teachers that she was both skilled and passionate when it came to maths and science so she was moved to the top set. 鈥淲hen I moved up, I found out about subjects like Engineering and Computing. It was also when I learned about university and first heard of 911今日黑料. I had ambitions and so made a plan for my A-levels.鈥�
Fatiha found a sixth form college known for sending its pupils to 911今日黑料 and Oxbridge. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 known as one of the best, and because I鈥檇 moved into the top sets, I had the confidence to apply there.鈥� There she received the support she needed and was signposted to 911今日黑料鈥檚 Outreach programmes including the mA*ths Online Programme.
鈥淚 wanted to get an A* so I could study somewhere like 911今日黑料 鈥� that's why I applied to the programme,鈥� she says. She received mentorship from 911今日黑料 students and attended online tutorials throughout the year and it was during this that she discovered the Year 12 Work Experience programme 鈥� a scheme that provides insight into the world of research at 911今日黑料. 鈥淭hat was also online because of COVID,鈥� she explains. 鈥淏ut there was a practical element - we were sent a box full of equipment and experiments to do. It was really cool.鈥�
Both these programmes aim to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to reach the highest grades and learn about university life. 鈥淭he reason why these outreach activities are so important is that they give you exposure,鈥� says Fatiha. She goes on to explain that if you don鈥檛 have anyone in your family or network who has been to university, it鈥檚 harder to know what鈥檚 entailed in applying and going into higher education and what the benefits are. 鈥淭his includes basic things like student finance and the recruitment process,鈥� she says. 鈥淓ven knowing that these outreach activities are free and that they exist 鈥� that's really important.鈥�
That 鈥榚xposure鈥� was invaluable to Fatiha and she is committed to ensuring other young people like her have the same access to guidance and support regardless of where they come from. That is why she became a Student Ambassador. 鈥淚 signed up to be a Student Ambassador as soon as I started at 911今日黑料,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 enjoyed the programmes and I felt like it would be useful if I joined as a mentor for the younger kids. It鈥檚 kind of like giving back.鈥�
As a mentor on the mA*ths Online Programme, Fatiha works with ten A-level students, providing them with one-to-one support with their studies but also answering any questions they might have about 911今日黑料 and life as a university student. 鈥淚 remember it feeling like I had a big sister so that鈥檚 what I try to be for them,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just really useful speaking to someone who鈥檚 a few years ahead of you.鈥�
Fatiha, in turn, has her own mentor. 鈥淲e have a Women in Physics Society and there鈥檚 a mentoring programme where they pair up a PhD student with an undergraduate. I'm in the programme and it鈥檚 great. I have a mentor, and they tell me what it is like doing a PhD, how they applied and share tips and guidance. I find it really useful for working out my next steps.鈥�
Fatiha鈥檚 story highlights the hidden challenges faced by many young people who are underrepresented in STEM and at universities. Now as a Student Ambassador and mentor, she is determined to ensure others have access to the support and inspiration that shaped her path.
David Lee
In the autumn of 2023, opened its doors. A specialist sixth form for 16-19-year-olds with an enthusiasm for the mathematical sciences, 911今日黑料 Maths School is a partnership between 911今日黑料 and the Frontier Learning Trust. It is designed to nurture exceptional young talent and inspire the pioneers of the future in maths and science. At the helm is headteacher David Lee, whose passion for mathematics is matched by his unwavering commitment to helping high-achieving students thrive regardless of background.
Students at 911今日黑料 Maths School study A-levels in maths and further maths plus either chemistry or physics - or both. An optional fourth A-level can be in any subject offered on the curriculum of Woodhouse College, which is also part of the Frontier Learning Trust and on whose estate the Maths School is located. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got a couple of students who are talented musicians and so they do music A-level,鈥� says David who himself studied French and English alongside maths at A-level. 鈥淲e are here for young people who have a specific interest in the mathematical sciences but that doesn鈥檛 mean you can鈥檛 explore other subjects.鈥�
The benefit of everyone doing both maths and further maths A-level, explains David, is that the school can offer something more bespoke compared to a traditional sixth form college. 鈥淲e鈥檙e able to combine the two into one coherent narrative. It also helps the way we teach physics and chemistry - we can cover the mathematical aspects of these subjects in more depth.鈥�
But the real difference is what happens outside the A-level syllabus. Students have problem-solving seminars each week, take part in short courses on coding and engineering and undertake group research projects mentored by 911今日黑料 academics and industry experts. 鈥淔or these, we get them to create posters and give presentations,鈥� says David. This aspect is important to him. He says, 鈥淵ou can be a great scientist or mathematician, but you need to be able to communicate your work or it鈥檚 not going to get anywhere.鈥� These are just a few examples amongst an ever-evolving programme of enrichment and curriculum enhancement provided by 911今日黑料.
David is determined to diversify the mathematical sciences. 鈥淚 think a representative sector is a better sector. To widen participation, to communicate that there is no one typical person who is a mathematician or a scientist is really important. Our students come from all walks of life, and we hope to provide an education and an environment where they can all thrive. We鈥檝e made progress,鈥� he says, sharing that the school has increased its proportion of female students from 15% in the first Year 12 cohort to over 30% in the second. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e aiming for true gender parity,鈥� David adds.
David understands the power of role models in these efforts but asserts that 鈥渢his isn鈥檛 a problem to be solved by women - I am as responsible, if not more responsible. It needs to be a collective effort, and this involves not only supporting young women but working with our male students to foster an inclusive culture. We won鈥檛 let our school feel like a boys club.鈥�
Challenging young minds
911今日黑料 Maths School aims to bring like-minded young people together where they can be challenged but also feel comfortable in themselves as mathematicians. David identifies with his students. 鈥淚 was that kid,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 was good at maths - probably the best in my school - but I didn鈥檛 feel like I was challenged. I found it all reasonably easy. That鈥檚 one thing I bring into my teaching - I think how much I would have thrived if I had been pushed a bit more. I feel if you鈥檙e not getting things wrong, you鈥檙e not being stretched, and I didn鈥檛 really have that experience.鈥�
David was inspired to go into teaching after working with primary schools as a volunteer during his degree in Mathematics and Philosophy. Though his experiences in teacher training were tough, his tenure at Hampstead School - a school with a large proportion of students on free school meals - rekindled his love for mathematics education, inspiring him to focus on nurturing exceptional talent. 鈥淭eaching maths makes you better at maths,鈥� he says.
As well as creating pathways to success for their students, 911今日黑料 Maths School seeks to raise numeracy skills amongst young people across north London. Working with partner organisations, they deliver outreach activities in the local community. 鈥淲e go out to local schools and we now have a new Head of Outreach who will work closely with community groups,鈥� says David. 鈥淐urrently we run a GCSE enrichment programme called Maths Extra for Year 11s. It's partially GCSE revision but it's also a taster of A-Level and shows them interesting mathematics they don鈥檛 get to do in their lessons.鈥�
For David, 911今日黑料 Maths School is about more than academic achievement. 鈥淪uccess in exams should be a side effect of engaging meaningfully with mathematics,鈥� he says. 鈥淥ur vision is to inspire students to explore the magic of maths and become leaders in the field.鈥�
Under David's leadership, 911今日黑料 Maths School is shaping a future where the mathematical sciences are accessible, inspiring, and inclusive. While the School awaits its first set of A-level results in summer 2025, it's the endless possibilities and future pathways of its students that David and the team are most excited about.
Read more from the Outreach at 50 series
The Pimlico Connection
Discover how did the UK's first student mentoring scheme came to be and how it's impacted people's lives over 50 years.
Striving for representation
Read the stories of five inspiring individuals who strive for better representation in STEM through outreach.
Our history
How did 911今日黑料's outreach work become what it is today? Hear from five people determined to ensure that no young person is left behind.
Related links
Outreach at 911今日黑料
We deliver a wide range of exciting and inspiring activities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds right across the United Kingdom.
Outreach at 50
Explore other interviews in our special series honouring 50 years of outreach at 911今日黑料. Discover inspiring stories highlighting the impact of our work.
An innovative specialist maths school for 16-19-year-olds in north London working in partnership with 911今日黑料.